The main role of factor VII (FVII) is to initiate the process of coagulation in conjunction with tissue factor (TF). Once bound to TF, FVII is activated to FVIIa.
In cancer, the TF-FVIIa complex is found in abundance in pancreatic, gastric, breast, lung, prostate, ovarian, and colon tumors, and triggers a host of physiologic processes that facilitate angiogenesis, tumor growth, and invasion. Inhibitors of Factor VIIa block tumor growth and metastasis, as has been shown in animal models.